ALL POSTS IN [Road Trips]

Today is your last chance to enter our Ultimate Grand Canyon RV Adventure Sweepstakes! While you’re waiting to see if you’re the lucky winner, get inspired by some of our favorite RV bloggers. From wineries to manatees, check out why they chose to ditch their neighborhoods and hit the road.

Planning to taste a few new wines? Don’t have your trip end at the Napa Valley. These two Geeky Explorers explored not only the sights but also the wineries of Walla Walla.

Get a little taste of the Grand Canyon from Fab Grandma. See firsthand adventures of driving to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, hiking the Cape Final Trail, and seeing a herd of bull bison.

Want to take a trip up North? You won’t be disappointed with the picturesque views that Canada has to offer. But first learn a thing or two about our northern neighbor from Travels With Miranda.

The excursions don’t stop at RVs — Roads Less Traveled gives you the inside scoop on resorts and tips for RV and sailboat vacations.

If you’ve ever dreamed of snorkeling with seals, swimming with manatees, or encountering crocodiles, NeverEndingRvTrip has a few things to add to your bucket list.

Bret Michaels fans unite! Rock My RV With Bret Michaels is finally here and what better way to kick off summer than with the legendary frontman as he embarks on a new adventure in the TV world — this time, revealing just how deep his RV passions run.

Michaels, a hands-on RV enthusiast, leads a team of skilled custom RV designers and fabricators, consisting of Bodie Stroud and Jake Scott, who set out to transform travelers’ ordinary RVs into the most outrageous, hooked-up mobile mansions on the road.

In Luxury on Wheels, the first of 2 brand-new episodes, Bret and the team chop up a family’s well-worn, shabby RV, and set out to transform it into a spacious 5-star hotel on wheels. The Littmans are true RV fanatics, who spend years at a time living in their RV, but their kids are getting bigger, meaning space in the RV is becoming scarce. Bret and his team have a plan in mind (think slide-outs), and with Michaels’ help, the Littmans are hoping to become the coolest family in the RV park.

In the second of 2 premieres, Rolling VIP Lounge, Dan “Punkass” Caldwell and Timothy “SkySkrape” Katz, co-founders of the MMA apparel company TapouT, feel their tired, 32-foot RV is in serious need of an upgrade … and boy, are they right. The TapouT guys are always on the road promoting their brand and need more space to relax in their downtime. Can Michaels’ team help?

Tune in tonight at 9|8c and again at 9:30|8:30c, to see if Bret and his team are able to transform 2 old, worn-out RVs in desperate need of a makeover into badass, one-of-a-kind RVs that could rival those of any celebrity … maybe even Bret Michaels.

Plus, check out these exclusive, before-and-after photos from both premieres:

Just when you think you’ve seen it all, Bret and his team are designing the epic RV of your dreams! Complete with multiple flat screen TVs, gaming stations and top-of-the-line finishes, this mega-transformed RV will blow all other vehicles off the road – and it could be yours!

The contest will run from June 3 – July 15, at which time viewers can submit a short video to Travel Channel’s Rock My RV show page, explaining to Bret Michaels why they deserve this rocked-out RV! The winner will be revealed during the one-hour season finale on September 1st.

From the crazy concept design meetings to the demolition to the big reveal, you’ll be glued to your seat wondering what out-of-this-world, retrofitted dream transformation Bret and the team have come up with now. But until then, enter your videos explaining why you deserve this dream RV!

And tune in to the premiere of Rock My RV on Sunday, May 26 at 9|8c to see what Bret and his team are capable of when it comes to building amazing, custom RVs.

While the hordes of Spring Breakers flock — understandably — to South Florida’s golden shores, consider a trip down the not-so-beaten path, to Everglades National Park, the heart of which lies just an hour’s drive west of Miami, along the Tamiami Trail. A drive into the heart of the Everglades grants visitors glimpses of the diverse wildlife roaming the region, including loads of alligator sightings (stand back, and keep you hands to yourself!), great blue herons, colorful roseate spoonbills and ever-present white herons and ibises. If you weren’t a bird watcher, much less bird lover, before entering the Everglades, you will be when you depart.

“Everglades” literally translates to “river of grass,” and that’s exactly what you’ll find here: a subtropical wetland that begins in Central Florida at Lake Okeechobee as water leaves the lake and flows south, forming a slow moving river. The so-called river of grass is an astonishing 50 miles wide and 100 miles long, running all the way to the tip of South Florida and into the sea. Of that vast expanse, 1.5 million acres have been designated a National Park, protecting 20 percent of the Everglades and the extraordinary wildlife contained within.

Everglades National Park is split into 2 main entrances, Shark Valley in the north central section of the park and the Gulf Coast Visitor Center in the West. Start your foray into the Everglades in Shark Valley. This entrance has the most amenities for visitors, including a museum, bike rentals and tram tours, as well as an observation tower in the thick of the glades that affords striking views of the grassland. A 15-mile loop road winds through Shark Valley, and is popular for bikers and a few apparently cold-blooded walkers undaunted by the region’s high temperatures. If you’re not prone to exert yourself for the duration of a 15-mile bike ride, hop aboard a tram tour, where knowledgeable guides point out and explain in detail the Everglades’ flora and fauna — with frequent stops for photos.

From Shark Valley, make your way toward the Gulf Coast Visitor Center. This entrance lies tucked into the far western reaches of the park, where you’ll see a much different topography, chiefly mangrove islands and winding waterways. As you make drive west, you’ll have the choice to continue along the well-trodden Tamiami Trail, or pop off onto a Scenic Loop Road, and as I highly recommend, and great poets will agree, always — always — take the road less traveled.

The loop road is partially unpaved, though easily driveable, and winds through what may well be the region’s most spectacular and wildest scenery: a cypress forest, part of the Big Cypress National Preserve. These monstrous trees drip with Spanish Moss, and you’ll pass by alligators lounging at their bases, as well as countless birds — herons, ibises, purple gallinules and pelicans galore. The best part? In what turned into an hour and a half foray along the road (I stopped for lots of pictures), I passed a mere 4 other cars. This is as remote a space as you’ll find anywhere in Florida.

Photo By Valerie Conners

You’ll leave the Preserve and arrive in Everglades City late-afternoon or early evening. To get the most out of an Everglades National Park road trip from South Florida’s east coast, spend an overnight in Everglades City, just south of Naples, on the western edge of the park. The town is incredibly small, just a few hundred residents, and lies amidst winding waterways. Book a room at the Everglades City Motel, where the old-fashioned exterior belies the beautifully remodeled rooms inside. Grab a sunset cocktail and a platter of smoked fish dip at the iconic Rod and Gun Club, which sits along a scenic curve of the river. For dinner, meander a mile or so down the road to Camellia Street Grill, a true local’s hangout along the river. You’ll find kitschy decor, a welcoming outdoor deck, twinkling lights strung from trees, and if you’re lucky — live music and dancing.

The following day, head into the park’s western entrance, and book yourself on a boat tour of either the mangrove isles or Ten Thousand Islands. You can choose from a larger boat that winds through the islands or a smaller, 6-person tour that heads into the depths of the mangroves. After your boat tour, pay a visit to Chokoloskee Island, just a few minutes down the road. Here you’ll find the Smallwood Store and Ole Indian Trading Post, a former general store established in 1906 that’s now on the National Register of Historic Places, and has been turned into a museum featuring artifacts from the era, including newspaper clippings, medicine bottles, and furnishings.

Before you head back toward the 2-hour drive to Miami, refuel with lunch at the Havana Cafe, a Chokoloskee restaurant dishing up tasty Cuban food. Try the pork plate, traditional-style Cuban pork shoulder, serve with black beans, rice and a small salad. Ask to try the homemade hot sauce — you’ll thank me later.

Looking for a flashy way to get around town or a not-so-practical option for your next road trip? Take a ride in the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. On Sunday, the new hot rod was revealed during the press preview at the annual North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Unfortunately, if you want to see it in person, you’ll have to wait until the Detroit Auto Show opens up to the public on Saturday, Jan. 19 or until the car hits showroom floors this fall.

It’s been 9 years since the Corvette has been revamped. The biggest difference this time around is that the sleek car has a V8 engine, and – guess what! — it’s no longer a gas-guzzler. Strict government rules and fines from regulators forced engineers to rethink how to design the car for better gas mileage.

In addition to the Corvette, other automakers are showing off their new vehicles, too. According to the Washington Post, auto aficionados will be able to check out other experimental concept vehicles, including the Bentley GT Speed convertible, BMW 4-Series (Z4), Honda Urban SUV, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Mini John Cooper Works Paceman.

The Auto Show will have more than 500 vehicles on display, representing the most innovative designs in the world. It is North America’s largest and most prestigious automotive showcase. And parents don’t have to leave their kids behind. Family Day kicks off on Friday, Jan. 25, with magicians, acrobats and caricature artists to keep the kids entertained. If you can’t make it for Family Day, we recommend seeing the parade of cars on the main show floor at 3:30 and again at 7 pm on Jan. 19 – 27.

Yes, we’re aware that some of you may not live in Detroit to catch this big auto show, but there may be an auto show coming to a city near you next month. The Washington Auto Show kicks into high gear on Friday, Feb. 1 and runs through Sunday, Feb. 10. The Chicago Auto Show runs from Wednesday, Feb. 9 to Monday, Feb. 18.

We’d be remised if we didn’t remember the auto lover who appreciates a good, ole classic car. So, we thought we’d add the picture below of the Corvette Stingray, taken in 1955 without the flashy bells and whistles. Back in the day, it still looked like a fun way to travel. What do you think?

If you’re interested in more recent cars, take a look at our auto show slideshows from 2012 and 2011.

AAA predicts that 93.3 million Americans will hit the road during the holidays, making this Christmas travel season the busiest it’s been in 6 years. More people are taking road trips this year because finding a reasonably-priced airplane ticket is like finding a needle in a haystack.

A record 84.4 million people will drive at least 50 miles between Dec. 22 and Jan. 1, according to the reputable travel agency. That’s 90.5% of holiday travelers, up from 89.3% just 6 years ago. So what does that mean to you? Expect plenty of traffic jams, crowded rest stops and bumper-to-bumper lines near highway tolls.

Need tips for dealing with this inevitable headache? Pack a couple travel-size games and snacks to keep the kids preoccupied. We recommend checking out some helpful family travel tips from Mommy Points blogger, Summer Hull, before you head out the door. Our travel expert offers up advice on everything from flying with a baby for the first time to finding hotels with health food options.

One thing travelers aren’t too concerned about is gas prices, which have dropped 50 cents since September, according to AAA. The average price at the pump will range from $3.20 and $3.40 a gallon by New Year’s Day, but that’s still not enough of a reason to thwart travelers’ plans to drive.

Although more people will be on the road, the airports will be just as busy. We recommend heading to the airport earlier than you normally would to avoid long TSA security lines — especially on the weekend before Christmas, the day after Christmas and on Jan. 2. AAA’s economist John Heimlich expects 86% of the airplane seats to be filled with paying passengers, up from 85% last year.

Hundreds of flights have been canceled or delayed due to a major storm system making its way across the Midwest and headed for the East Coast of the US. Meteorologists predict that another storm on the West Coast may throw a wrench in travel plans next week; so before you head out the door, check out our weather forecast tool — powered by WeatherTrends360 — to find out if these 2 storms will affect your Christmas travel plans.

And if you’re headed to a big city, download The Layover app or peruse our airport guides to find out how you can kill some time during a lengthy layover.

A survey released today from YourTango.com, along with Ford Motor Company, shows that couples use road trips for “quality time” — giving them the chance to reconnect and strengthen their relationship.

In the survey of more than 1,000 couples, 91 percent have taken road trips together, with 84 percent agreeing that the experience strengthened their relationship. Road trips allow for more than quality time, though, with 63 percent of respondents agreeing that they are affectionate with their partner while driving — holding hands or sharing a kiss at a red light. Who doesn’t like a little romance on the road?

Today marks the beginning of the 3-day Monterey Jazz Festival in arguably one of the most beautiful parts of California. Entering its 55th year, it’s the world’s longest-running jazz festival, with acts like Tony Bennett and Esperanza Spalding performing this weekend. You don’t have to be a jazz fan to appreciate that kind of star power.

Photo by Cole Thompson

Can’t make it to Monterey this weekend? Visit the gorgeous seaside town vicariously with this video from our go-to beach gal, Marianela, at Point Lobos State Reserve Park. Or plan a trip down the Pacific Coast Highway. And next week, the Ghost Adventures crew investigates the Point Sur Lighthouse, right outside of Monterey.

Want to plan a music festival getaway? Let our Music Festival Guide help you decide where to go — just pick the month and pack a bag! Or if you’re looking to really get away, learn about the new music festival cruise trend!

The 72nd annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is now in full gear — and so is the action. From the Black Hills to the Badlands, thousands of motorcyclists have descended on the area to celebrate the freedom of the open road — and maybe set a record or two. This year, stuntman Toby Baker returns to Sturgis to reclaim the Guinness World Record for the longest-running ride through a tunnel of fire. That’s 230 feet, 2,900 degrees. That’s just one of the highlights this week. READ MORE

Travel Channel has teamed up with Rand McNally on their annual road rally adventure — Best of the Road — to search for the best small towns across the country. Watch the small-town showdown tonight at 8|7c on Travel Channel.

Hosted by our resident comedian, Bert Kreischer, the show will follow 3 teams as they road-trip across America to find the best small towns in the categories of food, beauty and fun. Town winners are awarded the prestigious title of Rand McNally’s “Best of the Road.”